How to make the perfect Irish coffee

Irish coffee was invented by Limerick chef Joseph Sheridan in 1942 to welcome Americans visiting Ireland. The travelers arrived in the west of Ireland on a cold winter night, so Sheridan added whiskey to their coffee to warm them up, telling the Americans they were being served Irish coffee.

A San Francisco Chronicle travel writer, Stanton Delaplane, brought the recipe back to the U.S. after drinking Irish coffee at Shannon Airport. It was first served at the Buena Vista Café in San Francisco on November 10, 1952.

IRISH COFFEE

Ingredients:

1 ½ oz. of Jameson Irish whiskey

5-7 oz. hot coffee or 2 shots of espresso

1-2 tsp. brown sugar

Fresh whipped cream

Method:

Run hot water slowly over a glass mug until it’s at room temperature or hotter, and then dry it (pouring hot coffee into a cold glass could cause it to crack)

Add brown sugar to mug

Pour in whiskey

Add coffee or espresso, leaving room at top for whipped cream

*To make cold Irish coffee chill the sweetened coffee before adding the whiskey